To ebook or not to ebook?

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kiwifidget

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Topic # 240613 16-Sep-2018 23:03

Hi,

I have a pdf (950 pages in total) that I would like to make available online, to the public.

I have a website that can host a link for me.

I've been researching ebooks, but I'm not sure I want to sell it.

Though I would like to have a better online experience than just scrolling through a really long pdf.

Perhaps something that resembles reading an actual paper book. Like the online PbTech brochure.

This is completely virgin territory for me, so I don't even know what I don't know.

I do know I would prefer a free, or at least very cheap solution.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

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davidcole

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Reply # 2091727 17-Sep-2018 06:27

No sure if there is an online one, but if it’s just text then convert it to ePub, mbz (what kindle uses).

Failing that Calibre is failryneasybtoninstall and can convert easily to all formats and embed metadata etc.

Then you can host the multiple formats

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FineWine

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Reply # 2091790 17-Sep-2018 10:32

If you are a macOS user then there is iBooks Author.

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kiwifidget

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Reply # 2091797 17-Sep-2018 10:48

Sadly I am not a Mac person.

I am beginning to wonder if ebook is even the right route now.

I have come across the term "flip book" which is more what I am after by the looks.

Just need to work out cheapest options for creating and sharing. So many solutions offer hosting for a monthly/annual fee, which I don't need.

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JayADee

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Reply # 2091990 17-Sep-2018 15:04

If you make it an ePub then you can just provide a link for downloads. ePub is a nice format.
What's the book about?

kiwifidget

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Reply # 2091997 17-Sep-2018 15:15

The "book" is a collection of biographies of 941 (730-odd already written, the rest are coming) local women that enrolled to vote in 1893. It is part of the Suffrage125 celebrations.

By the time the bios are all written I need to have found a solution for presenting them.

The bios contain a combination of text and photos and other images, and are sized for A4 printing. Essentially each bio is a Word doc , saved as a pdf, and then merged into one big pdf.

We applied for funding to print the book, but were turned down. Hence looking at other options that may provide better longevity for better value.

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Taubin

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Reply # 2092130 17-Sep-2018 18:59

I usually convert long pdfs to epub using Calibre. It's a free program and is easy to use. You could possibly put instructions for people that want to convert it either on the website, or at the beginning of the pdf.

IcI

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Reply # 2092906 18-Sep-2018 22:27

kiwifidget:

The "book" is ...

Do you really want a book? I mean the beauty of HTML was that content is separate from formatting. Some will look at this on a desktop, some on a tablet & most these days on a phone. Is a book format the right choice now that you have to be on-line?

IcI

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Reply # 2092913 18-Sep-2018 22:46

kiwifidget: ... I have come across the term "flip book" which is more what I am after by the looks. Just need to work out cheapest options for creating and sharing. ...

kiwifidget: ... Hence looking at other options that may provide better longevity for better value.

Have you considered Google Books (books.google.com)? You can set your book to being shared publicly by creating a dedicated category. It also looks like it's formatted / laid out like a book. You can upload your PDF / EPUB. Maybe you can even publish it in the Play store?